Arsenal v Liverpool (2015-16)
| next = }} Arsenal v Liverpool was a match which took place at the Emirates Stadium on Monday 24 August 2015. Liverpool maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season as they played out a thrilling goalless draw with Arsenal at The Emirates. In a game littered with chances, brilliant goalkeeping and defensive mistakes, it was almost beyond belief that neither side could make the crucial breakthrough and carve out a victory that would have delivered an early psychological blow among the contenders at the top of the table. Liverpool dominated the first half but ran into goalkeeper Petr Cech in magnificent form as Arsenal's £10m summer signing from Chelsea saved miraculously from Christian Benteke and turned Philippe Coutinho's shot on to a post. Coutinho had also struck the woodwork early on - and while Arsenal's opportunities were few, they were furious that Aaron Ramsey's early strike was ruled out for offside. Arsenal regrouped and dominated much of the second half, Alexis Sanchez hitting the post and Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet produced a fine reflex save from Olivier Giroud. Liverpool will be delighted with a third successive clean sheet on the back of victories against Stoke City and Bournemouth while Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be equally pleased by the character shown by his side after a difficult first half. When Arsenal signed Cech from Chelsea, the instant wisdom was that his presence alone could be worth an extra 10 points to the Gunners. Time will tell if those calculations prove to be true but this was the night when the 33-year-old showed just how important a signing he could be for Arsenal and Wenger as they try to finally mount a serious Premier League title challenge. Cech was castigated to an exaggerated degree after a poor debut in the home defeat against West Ham United but he was magnificent here when Liverpool laid siege to Arsenal's goal in the first half. He spread himself brilliantly to turn away Benteke's close-range effort when it seemed certain the striker would score, then showed he still retains the old athleticism to stretch and fingertip Coutinho's curling shot against an upright. If any Arsenal fans harboured doubts about his purchase, this was a display to dispel them. When Liverpool almost won the title in 2014, it was spearheaded by the superb attacking triumvirate of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling. Liverpool floundered last season with Suarez at Barcelona, Sturridge injured and Sterling disaffected and out of sorts before his £49m move to Manchester City. Manager Brendan Rodgers needed to reignite that attacking spark and while there can be no comparisons with that trio, there are so many signs of promise in the understanding already established between Coutinho and £32.5m summer signing Benteke. Coutinho's darting runs and fast footwork means he provides danger all on his own while also looking for an outlet in Benteke, whose easy movement shows he is so much more than a big target man. They have shown Liverpool can offer a different type of danger this season - and Rodgers will face an intriguing conundrum when Sturridge finally declares himself fit. Top four is more realistic for both and certainly they do not look likely to threaten Manchester City on the very early evidence. Liverpool, however, will be delighted at maintaining their recovery from the trauma of last season with a third successive clean sheet and more signs that confidence is slowly returning. Arsenal showed great spirit to recover from a first half in which their defending was horrendous to have the better of the second. It should be placed in context by the fact that Arsenal were robbed of their first-choice central defensive partnership of Per Mertesacker through illness and Laurent Koscielny with a back injury. Match Details |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| |} The stats you need to know *This game was the first time both Mertesacker and Koscielny have missed a Premier League game for Arsenal since April 2012 versus Wigan *Liverpool are the fifth team to start a Premier League game with three or more Brazilians in their XI, after Middlesbrough, Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea *Petr Cech kept only one clean sheet in his final nine Premier League appearances against Liverpool for Chelsea *Liverpool's possession figure of 34% is the lowest they've recorded in the top flight under Brendan Rodgers *Arsenal have failed to score in five of their last six Premier League home games *Arsenal have failed to score in their opening two league home games for the first time since August 1979 See also *2015-16 Premier League: Match day 3 External links *Match report at BBC.co.uk Category:2015-16 Match Day info Category:Arsenal F.C. matches Category:Liverpool F.C. matches Category:2015–16 Premier League Matches